Winter 2022

In this issue: an update from the Chairman, including a membership renewal reminder; news of three new blue plaques; a report from the AGM; and the full programme for 2022.

From the Chairman

Well here we are at the end of another ‘Zoom’ year both in the sense of com munications and of time passage! It has been an ‘interesting’ year, our pro gramme of events was severely de-railed in March 2020 and in the following months gross uncertainty and chaos in all aspects of daily life prevailed. With some difficulty, we did manage to continue with our ‘non social’ ac tivities such as Urban Group projects and taking the diminished Men of the Stones Society under our wing.

We put together a ‘virtual’ AGM in November 2020 where fortunately con tinuity for this following year was assured as, in the absence of any new nominations, all the serving committee members agreed to stand.

With the outlook of a gradual reduction in pandemic restrictions as the Covid-19 vaccination pro gramme got off the ground, the re-elected committee set about putting our monthly social events programme for 2021 ‘back on the rails’. In view of the general understandable concern regarding the attendance at closed-in gatherings, we decided that our first ‘face-to-face’ events should be outdoor and that we would run ‘virtual’ talks in the meantime. This strategy worked well and fol lowing a successful first face-to-face meeting with our St. Leonards Priory Summer Party at the end of July, we continued with a visit to Flag Fen and the AGM at the Town Hall.

The AGM took place on the evening of 19 October and, in respect of the Society Officers, the Chairman and Secretary were re-elected but, following the sudden forced retirement of Treasurer Andrew Moore earlier in the year, an extensive search had failed to secure a Treasurer nomination. Thankfully our ever supportive member and previous Treasurer Martin Lander agreed to let his nomination go forward for the term of 2021/2022 year. A full review of the AGM event is covered under “Recent Events”.

As Covid Lockdown curtailed our 2020/21 activities we suspended annual Subscriptions but with the re-launch of our full programme of events and activities for the 2021/22 year we are reinstating Subscriptions at the same monetary level as before (£10 per person or £15 for two people living at the same address) and these are due from 1 October 2021. Many of you have continued to pay your subscriptions by Standing Order and others renewed at the AGM. We are extremely grateful for this continuing support of the Society in what have been extraordinary times. Can we ask that those who have not so far renewed do so now by any of the following means:

1. By Internet Banking direct to our account at HSBC, sort code 40-43-05, Account No. 00784591, ensuring you add your name(s) in the reference field.
2. By cheque to Martin at 28 Christ Church Close, Stamford PE9 1HS.
3. By establishing a new Standing Order which means you don’t have to remember about renewals in future! Please apply to Martin for a suitable form to set this up.

If you’re unsure of your current membership situation, please ring Martin on 01780 754567 or email treasurer@stamfordcivicsociety.org.uk.

No enterprise has been immune from the massive impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and Local Government resources have been no exception resulting in a wide ranging review of general services which has currently left Stamford with a reduced Tourist Information Service at the Arts Centre. Jill Collinge, who many of you will know as Stamford’s Blue Badge Guide, is aiming to set up a Visitor Centre based in St John’s Church. The Centre will be run by volunteers and Jill would be delighted to hear from any Members who are able to offer any time to the project. If you can help please contact Jill on 01780 729076 for further information.

Project update

Our extremely effective Urban Group have continued to pursue many projects in the Town including the Churches floodlighting project (now moving on to St. Martins and St. Johns) and also the push for action on the defects reported in our Paving Survey together with maintenance and enhancement action on town benches and pavement lighting in Red Lion Square.

However a recent priority has been the project to mount ‘Blue Plaques’ in recognition of three of Stamford’s nationally recognised major contributors to society – Jack Pick, Stamford’s pioneering early 1900s car manufacturer; Colin Dexter, a writer of great style and intelligence responsible for the creation of one of the most enduring figures of modern popular fiction and TV, ‘Inspector Morse’; and Harry Burton famous international photographer and archaeologist who photographed the artefacts at the opening up of Tutankhamun’s tomb.

The Blue Plaque ‘permission process’ is lengthy and complex, involving English Heritage, Local Planning Authorities, relatives of the deceased, owners of buildings where the Plaques will be mounted and of course raising funds for the Plaques manufacture and installation as well as the Planning Applications. This being the case, the Plaques are unlikely to be in place until Summer 2022.

Recent events

It was a great pleasure to see Members face-to-face this year for our AGM held at Stamford Town Hall – a significant improvement over last year’s virtual ‘seeing and hearing’ but rather lifeless affair. After signingin, Members were offered pre-meeting liquid refreshments and nibbles before the serious business of the evening.

Our Honorary President was unable to be present owing to a previous commitment but sent his best wishes and a message to say how much he appreciated what the Society does for the Town in the way of conservation and enhancement adding that Burghley is proud to be associated with Stamford. The Chairman gave his report covering the severe interruption to the programme of social events during the pandemic lockdown of the previous eighteen months but also the achievements in ‘non-social’ activities that had been possible particularly in our Urban Group projects and the incorporation of the diminished ‘Men-ofthe-Stones’ society into our fold.

Following the unfortunate forced retirement of our Treasurer Andrew Moore earlier in the year, our friend and previous Treasurer Martin Grimes volunteered to prepare the year-end accounts and these were adopted.

Three serving Trustees, Paddy Jelen, David Lankester and Tim Lee took well earned retirement at the AGM and they were thanked for their contribution over the years. All three generously offered to continue their support for projects they had been involved with and indeed, assist with any new initiatives where their experience would be of value. The remaining seven management Trustees were all re-elected. After the meeting two ladies expressed their interest in joining the Committee and Penny Rowley and Ursular Jones were co-opted to the Committee at the first ‘New Committee’ Meeting (the complete list of Committee Members for 2021/22 appears in “General Information” at the end of this Newsletter).

We were extremely pleased to make two ‘Community Awards’ this year to an ancient Stamford institution and to a modern one. The committee wished to recognise the long-standing stewardship of the land to the West of the town centre by the three existing ‘Freemen of Stamford’ and also the major con tribution that the ‘Pride of Stamford Litter Pickers’ make to the enhancement of Stamford’s appeal. The three ‘Freemen’ and representatives of the ‘Litter Pickers’ were presented with their framed certificates by the Chairman.

After the formal business of the AGM, Members were invited to take a short break with more refreshments before listening to a very entertaining and informative talk by Robert Loomes on the history of national and local clock making and the start up of his own very successful local Stamford business.

Upcoming events

Unfortunately the planned running of our December Seasonal Reception at Browne’s Hospital suffered at the expense of the new Covid ‘Omicron’ variant which, in the light of its extremely fast and growing infection rate, was judged to present an avoidable risk and gave us the opportunity to play our part in reducing the spread risk. However we have mapped out a full events programme for 2022 and, although in the current circumstances it has to be subject to change, we hope you will agree that we have come up with a varied and appealing set of events.

(The events calendar can be found on this website.)

Stamford Conservation Area planning matters

This year our sub-group of experts have reviewed and commented on some 90 Planning Applications ranging from door paint colour changes to major developments such as St. Martins Park and Land to the North of Uffington Road.

General information

Your Committee Members for 2022 are as follows:

Chairman: Jim Mason. Treasurer: Martin Lander. Secretary: Dianne Parkin.

Andrew Beeson, Andy Moore, David Taylor, Graddon Rowlands, Hannah Hamilton, Penny Rowely, Peter Stean, Stuart Burns, Ursula Jones.

For general information and membership please contact us through our Secretary, Dianne Parkin, 20 Adelaide Street, Stamford PE9 2EN. 01780 757482. secretary@stamfordcivicsociety.org.uk or refer to www.stamfordcivicsociety.org.uk

The Committee would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all your continuing support and to wish you a Very Happy Christmas together with our wishes for a healthy, happy and successful New Year. We look forward to meeting you in 2022.

Jim Mason, Chairman